Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1887-05-09
A UNITED KICK.
The MOrmOns Of Salt Lake Stake Of
Zion Protest Against the
Test Oath.
Angus NJ. Cannon Instruets the Non.
POlygamists How to Act-No
Promises for the Future.
4 Copy Of the Preamble and ResOlu.
ton as Read by John t. Caine
Unanimously Adopted.

Yesterday was another notable Sunday
in the Mormon Tabernacle, being marked
by the long-expected kick on the part OF
the Church against the test oath of the
new Edmunds law.
ANGUS NJ. CANNON
Was the principal speaker of the dav.
He wandered all around the test oath.
and finally came down to business by
saying, "Those of our Church who are
not in polvgamy, who have a desire TO
uphold and politically protect the Church.
can take the oath; but if any of these are
asked to swear that at any future time
they will not obey the commands of their
God, then say L would not do it, and
don't you,"
After Angus was through, John T.
Game arose and read the following, which
is self-explanatory and needs no COM
ment:
PREAMBLE AND RESOLUTION.
WHEREAS, Congress has passed law pre-
scr1blng oath to be taken by the citizens
of Utah Territory, as a condition precedent
to registering, voting, holding Office or serv-
ing as jurors, and
WHEREAS, The discussions in Congress.
while the said law was pending, showed
plainly that the intention of the law makers
was that the said oath should not interfere
with the rights of conscience or religious
belief, and
WHEREAS, Some of the courts of this Ter
ritory, in the selection of jurors, have de-
parted from both the letter and the sIirit
of the law and have required to be taken a
form of oath that is not authorized by said
] In &c g..
the domain of conscience and religious be-
! lief, and
WHEREAS, On application to a court of
/ this Territory of certain persons for
naturalization, the applicants were ques-
toned by the presiding judge as to their
membership IN particular church,
their belief in certain of its doctrines
and what would be their course of action
should they receive a revelation from God
in regard to the same, and having declared
their belief in divine revelation, they were
arbitrarily denied the privilege of citizen
| ship, solely on account of their religious be-
lief, although they declared their intention
to support the Constitution of the United
! States and obey its laws, and signified their
Willingness to take all the oaths required by
law; and
! WHEREAS, The Constitution of the United
States provides that no religious test shall
ever be imposed; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That we, members of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
residents of Salt Lake county, Utah Terri
tory, in conference assembled, do enter our
solemn protest against such inexcusable and
unwarrantable infringements upon the
rights and liberties of the people. We hold
that If these outrageous abuses of power
are permitted to go unchecked, they will
endanger the mosts acred institutions of cur
country, and we appeal TO all lovers of
freedom to disoountenance these unconsti-
tutional proceedings as antagonistic to the
Fundamental principles of our Government,
and violative of the rights of American
citizens in the enjoyment of freedom of
conscience and religious liberty.
The resolution was put to the congre-
CATION and was adopted by unanimous
vote.